Machine for ironing or treeing boots or shoes.



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APPLICQTION FILED SEPT. 14. 1914.

(Patented June 11, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT- I4. I914.

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' APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 14. I914. 1 268 3? Patented June 11. 1913.

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JOHN S. HANSEN, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSIGNOR T0 0. A. llIILLER TREEING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MAGEINE FOR IRONING 0R TREEING BOOTS 0R SHOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Ironing .or Treeing Boots or Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a speclfication, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for performing finishing operations on boots and shoes, and more particularly to machines for use in performing ironing, treeing or cleaning operations thereon.

After the making operations on a shoe have been completed it is necessary to smooth out the wrinkles in the upper of the shoe preparatory to the final dressing operation and to packing the shoe for shipment. On the better grades of shoes this treeing or ironing operation is performed almost universally by hand. For this purpose the shoe is mounted on an expansible tree that completely fills its interior and stretches the leather tightly, and the upper is then rubbed to smooth out the wrinkles by means of tools such as treeing irons, which usually are heated. At this time also the upper of the shoe is cleaned, and frequently this operation requires as much time as that of treeing or ironing the shoe. After these operations have been completed, the shoe is given one 01' more coats of dressing and then is ready to be packed.

While automatic machines are used to some extent for treeing or ironing the cheaper grades of shoes, such machineshave never been found satisfactory on the better grades of shoes for the reasons, among others, that these machines are so constructed that they do not iron satisfactorily certain parts of the shoe, particularly the shank portions and the top of the vamp or instep, and they are not constructed to clean the shoe. Consequently the operation of the machine must be'supplemented by so much hand labor in cleaning the shoe and in ironing those parts that have not been treated bv the machine, that it is found more econbmical and more satisfactory to perform the entire ironing operation by hand. A

further obj io to t e f the Ina- Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntedl J 119 11, 1918,,

Application filed September 14, 1914. Serial No. 861,585.

chines on fine shoes is the fact that great care is required to preventthe tools from burning the shoe. In the automatic machines the ironing tools are reciprocated longitudinally of the shoe, the direction of movement of the tools being reversed while they are in contact with the shoe, and if the irons are heated to the temperature necessary to enable them to smooth the stock satisfactorily, they are very likely to burn the stock at the point where their movement is reversed. This, of course, is due to the fact that there is a momentary pause in the movement of the tools at this point.

The present invention has for its chief object to devise a machine in which the defects just mentioned shall be avoided and which will be capable of performing the ironing and cleaning operations on a shoe more rapidly and at least as satisfactorily as they can be performed by hand. In carrying out this object the invention provides, as one important feature, ironing means comprising one or more heated ironing tools and means foreffecting relative movement of the tool or tools and a shoe in such manner as to cause the tool or tools to traverse the shoe without stopping while in contact with the shoe. In the construction shown each toolis moved bodily in a closed path in such relation to the shoe as to traverse the shoe a plurality of times successively in the same direction, after which a relative separating movement of the tool and the shoe is effected without interrupting said bodily movement of the tool. In this manner any pause of the tool in contact with the work, such as might tend to injure the work,

is entirely avoided.

Another important feature of the invention conslsts 1n improved means for insur- Jng efiective treatment of that portion of the side of "a shoe which is adjacent to the to approximate an average of the curves of s a plurality of styles of shoes, and consequently have not been such as to cause the tools to follow accurately the curve of the rand crease in any particular shoe. No attempt, moreover, has been made, as far as I am aware, to direct the movement of the tools that operate at opposite sides of a shoe in different paths corresponding to the differences in the curve of the crease at the opposite sides, the tools having been moved in the same path irrespective of whether a right or a left shoe was presented for treatment. This invention insures more accurate and effective treatment of the work than heretofore through provision for movements of the tools in different paths for different styles of shoes and through provision for movements of the tools at the opposite sides of a shoe in different paths (:letermined in accordance with differences in the curve of the crease at the opposite sides of a shoe. In the construction shown the path of move ment of the tool or tools at one side of the shoeis determined as an incident to the relative movement of the tools and the shoe into operative working relation, in order to in A further feature of the invention consists in a novel combination and arrangement of tools for operating respectively upon the sides, the top of the forepart, and the back of a shoe to insure effective treatment of the different portions ofthe shoe without danger of interference of the different tools with one another.

Still other features of the invention reside in novel means for cleaning the shoe, for controlling the operations of the different tools upon the shoe, and for subjecting the ironing tools to a definite and uniform degree of heat. These and other features of the invention, together with various details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front view of the machine in elevation,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine viewed from the right with reference to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine on the line 33 of Fig. 4:, certain portions being shown in elevation,

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section with parts of the machine removed,

Fig. 5 shows in detail the back stay treating mechanism,

Fig. 6 shows in detail the mechanism for operating upon the instep or front of the shoe,

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the side treating mechanisms as seen from the right in Fig. 2,

Fig. 8 shows one of the side treating mechanisms in detail,

Fig. 9 is a view in greater detail of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 shows the mechanism for effecting expansion of the shoe trees,

Fig. 11 shows one of the instep ironing tools,

Fig. 12 shows one of the side ironing tools,

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a portion of the machine, and

Fig. 14L is a detail of a part of the gearing for positioning the side treating mecha- HISHIS.

The machine shown comprises, in its general organization, a turret carrying four trees, two rights and two lefts, mechanism for ironing and cleaning the back of the upper of a shoe, and which, for convenience, will be hereinafterreferred to as the back stay treating or ironing mechanism, since the hack of a shoe usually is provided with a back stay;another mechanism for treating the top of the toe, vamp and instep portions of the shoe, which for convenience will be referred to hereinafter as the instep treating or ironing mechanism, and two mechanisms for operating simultaneously on the opposite sides of a shoe to iron and clean the lateral portions of the upper, which mechanisms will be hereinafter re ferred to as the side treating or ironing mechanisms. The arrangement in the machine shown is such that the back stay ironing mechanism and the instep ironing mechamsm operate simultaneously on the shoe, and at the time when these mechanisms are treating a. shoe the side ironing mechanisms are operating on another shoe. The detailed description of these parts and mechanisms will be taken up substantially in the order in which they have just been mentioned. V

The turret 1 is mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane on the top of a base 2 and is provided with four brackets equally spaced about the turret, which are each designed to support rotatively atree leg 3 preferably of the type known as a Miller tree, and shown in the patent to Tyler 319,356, granted June 2, 1885. Each of these tree legs is equipped with a suitable tree foot adapted to support a boot or shoe, and is arranged to be expanded to stretch the shoe by moving an expanding rod 4 (see Fig. 10) longitudinally of the tree toward the axis of the turret. For this purpose the rod 4 is provided with a head and is straddled at a point between the head and the tree leg by the bifurcated end of a lever 5 which is pivoted on the turret. A hand lever 6, also fulcrumed on the turret beside the. lever has a part 7 that is arranged to bear against the side of the lever 5 and move itin such a direction as to effect through the rod 4, an

expansion of the tree. The lever 5 is provided With a shoulder 8 (see Fig. and a flat portion adjacent to said shoulder,

, against which portion the end 7 of the hand lever 6 can bear, and Which is so located with relation to the fulcrum points of the two levers 5 and 6 that when the part 7 is against said shoulder it prevents any return movement of the lever 5 and therefore locks the tree in expanded condition. A spring in the leg of the tree automatically effects the collapse of the tree as soon as it is unlocked. A lug 9 on the hand lever 6 is arranged to strike the back of the shoulder 8 when the hand lever is moved to permit the tree to collapse and thus to limit the movement of the hand lever 6. In Fig. 10, at the left of the figure, the levers 5 and 6 are 'shown in the positions that they occupy when the tree is expanded and at the right of the figure these parts are shown in the positions that they occupy when the tree is collapsed.

Preferably, the turret is provided with two right and two left trees, the rights and lefts being alternated. In order to lock the turret against rotation, the base 2 is provided with guides in which a vertical spring pressed pin 10 is mounted and a helical spring is arranged to hold the pin normally in a lifted position where it will enter any one of the four bushed holes 11 provided in the turret. In order to depress this pin to unlock the turret, ahand lever 12 is pivoted on a bracket projecting from the upper part of the base-2 and this lever is provided with teeth adapted to mesh with a segmental gear 13 fulcrumed in said bracket and which, in turn, meshes with a rack formed on the upper part of the pin 10; This ar-' mngement is best illustrated in Fig. 1 from which it will be seen that, when the lever 12 is depressed, thepin 10 also will be depressed, thus unlocking the turret and permitting it to be rotated.

The back stay ironing mechanism is best illustrated in Fig. 5 andcomprises a shaft l-l having fast thereon a tool holder 15 that supports a pair of irons 16 and a pair of brushes 17, the irons and brushes preferably being alternated and projected radially out ward from the shaft for movement bodily in a closed path during the rotation of the shaft. The brushes shown are of the ordinary rotary type, but are clamped in holders designed to keep them from rotating on their own axes. l Vhen one portion of a brush becomes wornits clamp may be loosened and the brush adjusted to bring a dif ferent portion intoposition to act on the Work, Each of the irons 16 preferably is secured to'the holder by a pivot pin cxtending at right angles to the shaft 14 and per-' mitting the iron to rock on the end of the holder in a plane parallel to the axis of the shaft 14. This movement enables each iron to adjust itself to the contour of the shoe on which it is working. The shaft 14: is supported in the ends of a pair of arms 18 that are fulcrumed on a shaft 19 which is mounted in hearings in the machine frame. The back stay ironing mechanisn'i, therefore, is enabled to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the back of the shoe. The movement of the mechanism into and out of engagement withthe shoe is'controllcd by a lever 20 having an adjustable handle 21 and fulcrumed on the shaft 19, this lever havingan extension projecting beyond its ful crum point and lying close beside one of the bracket arms 18, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4-. A spring 22, connected at one end to this part of the lever 20 and at its opposite end to a bracket depending from the adjacent arm 18, yieldingly connects the controlling lever with the bracket arm so that, when the handle 21 of the controlling lever is depressed, the ironing mechanism will be raised yieldingly through the action of the spring 22 into contact with the shoe and will be yieldingly held in this position until the controlling lever is raised again. A latch 23 (see Fig. 3) is pivoted to the controlling lever 20 and has a notch 2 l designed to engage a part of the frame and hold the lever in its depressed position. A stop bolt adjustably secured in a lug projecting from the lever 20, (see Fig. 3) is arranged to bear on a bracket projecting from the arm 18 and serves to limit the distance that this arm can be raised with relation to the lever 20 and consequently the height that the tools 16 and 17 can assume with reference to the shoe being treated.

Power is supplied to operate the back stay ironing mechanism and the entire machine by a small electric motor 26 that drives a vertical shaft 27, WlliO'l in turn drives the shaft 19 by means of a gear connection. Theshaft 11 has fast thereon a sprocket wheel 28 over which runs a sprocket chain driven by another sprocket wheel 29 fast on the end of the shaft 19. The direction of rotation is such that the tools 16 and 17 rotate in a' counter clockwise direction, as seenin Fig. 1, and rub against the back of the shoe from a point on the counter to the top of the upper.

Heat preferablyis supplied to the ironing tools 16 by means of electricity. For this purpose the arms of the tool holder 15 that support the two tools 16 are each chambered to receive a heating unit 80, each unit being located as closely as possible to the tool that it is to heat, and a block of insulating material 31 secured to the side of the 'they may be moved.

tool holder 15 carries conductors 32 by which current is carried from one unit to the other. On the shaft 14 and at the side of the tool holder opposite to the block 31 two slip rings 33' and 34, respectively, are secured, both of these rings being insulated from the shaft and also insulated from each other. A conductor 35, connected to the slip ring 34 carries current from this ring to one of the units 30; while similar conductors 36 and 87 connect the opposite unit with the slip ring 33. The two units 30 thus are connected in series. Current supplied to one of the slip rings will flow from this ring through the conductor 35 or 36 to one of the units 30 and from thence through the conductors 32 to the opposite unit and then to the other slip ring. Current is delivered to and conveyed from the slip rings by a pair of brushes arranged to bear on the respective rings, each brush consisting of a member 38 that holds a stick of carbon or similar material in position to bear upon one of the rings. The member 38 has a shank pivoted in a stationary conductor 39 and is acted upon by a spring 40 in a direction tending to move each holder 38 into contact with its slip ring. The two conductors 39 are secured to but insulated from the bracket arms 18 by means of insulating pieces 41 and the rear ends of these conductors are threaded to form terminals for the connection thereto of the current supply cables.

The instep ironing mechanism, which is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, comprises a rotary tool holder 43 fast on the rotary shaft 44 and carrying four smoothing and rubbing tools, preferably two brushes 45 and two ironing tools indicated generally by the numeral 46. This arrangement of tool holder and tools is substantially identical with that of the back stay ironing mechanism, the brushes being somewhat different in shape and size, and the ironing tools slightly different in design to adapt them better to treat the vamp and instep portions ofthe shoe. The ironing tool, best shown in Fig. 11, preferably comprises a rocker 47 pivoted to one arm of the holder 48; and this rocker carries two smaller rockers 48, each pivoted to the member 47 near its opposite ends, and four independent ironing elements 49 arranged in two pairs, each pair being pivoted to the opposite ends of one of the rockers 48. This construction enables the elements 49 to adjust themselves easily to any contour over which The elements of the two tools 46 preferably are offset with relation to each other, or staggered, so that one of the elements 49 lies opposite the space between two adjacent elements of the opposite tool and operates on the part of the ments of the other tool.

The shaft 44, which supports the instep ironing and cleaning tools, is mounted in the lower end of a swinging frame 50, this frame being suspended on a shaft 51 which is supported in the forward end of a bifurcated arm 52 that is supported partly by a shaft 53 and partly by a bracket arm 54. This arm projects forward from a bracket 55, which is secured to a stationary vertical rod 56, mounted in the center of the turret. Provision is made for a vertical adjustment of the arm 52 relatively to the bracket arm 54 by connecting the members of the arm 52 by means of a bridge 57 and threading a bolt 58 through this bridge in position to bear againstthe top of the arm 54. When. this bolt is turned, the arm 52 is moved up or down, depending on the direction of this turning movement, thus adjusting the instep ironing mechanism longitudinally of the shoe to enable it better to operate on shoes differing considerably in length. The instep ironing mechanism is driven from the shaft 19 by means of a sprocket chain 59 (see Fig. 2), which runs over sprockets fast on the back ends of the shafts 19 and 53; and additional sprockets and chains, which trans mit the power from the latter shaft to the shaft 51 and thence to the shaft 44, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig.1.

The back stay and instep ironing mechanisms are arranged to be moved into and out of operative engagement with a shoe simultaneously, and for this purpose the arms 18, which carry the back stay ironing mechanism and swing on the shaft 19, are provided with an extension 60 (see Fig. 1) having a pin and slot connection with a collar slidably mounted on the rod 56 to which is secured the lower end of a vertical rod 61, the upper end of which is connected to a collar 63 that is also arranged to slide up and down on the rod 56. A bell crank lever 64, fulcrumed on apart of the bracket arm 54, has a pin and slot connection with the collar 63, and also is connected by means of a short link 65 to the lower end of a lever 66 which also is fulcrumed on the bracket arm 54. A pair of links 67 and 68, having their opposite ends connected, respectively, to the lever 66 and the frame 50 and having their adjacent ends connected together by a pin and slot, serve to transmit any extended movement of the lever 66 to the frame 50, while permitting the frame to swing to a limited extent with reference to the lever 66. A spring 70 connecting the upper end of the lever 66 with an upward extension of the swinging frame 50 tends to position the lower end of the frame at its forward limit of movement determined by the pin and slot connection between the links 67 and 68. The link 67 is adjustable in the lever 66 so that this forward limit of movement of the frame 50 may be varied. It will now be understood that, when the handle 21 of the controlling lever 20 is do pressed to swing the back stay ironing mechanism into operative engagement with a shoe, the rod 61 will be moved downwardly, thus rocking the bell crank lever 64 in a counter-clockwise direction, as the parts areseen in Fig. 1, and through the spring and the connections 65, 66, 67 and 68 with the frame 50 moving this frame forward sutliciently to carry the instep ironing mechanism into contact with the instep portion of the shoe. .The ironing mechanism is yieldingly held in this position by means of the spring 70, the pin and slot connection between the members 67 and 68 enabling the mechanism to adjust itself to the shoe as the tools move over the work.

.The holders for the tools 46 are each chambered to receive an electrically heated unit 71 substantially like the units 30 used in the back stay ironing mechanism; and current is conducted to these units from supply cables 72 by means of conductors, slip rings, and brushes, all arranged in a manner substantially identical with that heret0- fore described in connection with the back stay ironing mechanism, and which, therefore, need not be described again.

The mechanisms for treating the sides of the shoes comprise frames 73 supported on arms 74 which are mounted for swinging movement about the motor shaft 27 the frames being angularly disposed with reference to the arms to cause the shoe treating mechanisms, when in operative relation to a shoe as shown in Fig. 13, to assume substantially parallel positions at opposite sides of the shoe. Each of the frames supports a pair of operating shafts 75 having sprocket wheels thereon over which run endless chains 76 which serve, through the provision of cross rods 77 connected to the chains, as carriers for the shoe treating devices. These rods are extended beyond the chains and run in guideways in the frames 73, as shown clearly in Figs. 9 and 13, so as to prevent the chains from swinging and to hold. the portions of the chainsbetween the sprocket wheels in position to maintain the shoe treating devices in effective operative relation to the shoe. These devices, in the construction shown, comprise two sets or groups of ironing tools 78 and two sets of cleaning or smoothing tools .80, preferably brushes, which alternate with the sets of ironing tools in their positions upon the carrier. The ironing tools of each set are offset or staggered in relation to the tools of the other set, so that the tools of one set will treat portions of the shoe which may not be treated by those of the other set. One of the tools 7 8 in each set, Figs. 8 and 12, has ironing. portions 82 pivoted to a rocker 83 which is in turn pivoted to the holder 8 so that the portions 82 may swing and adjust themselves freely in planes transverse to the direction of movement of the tool and may be relatively projected toward the shoe, in a manner similar to the adjustment of the instep ironing tools 49, Fig. 11, the purpose of such movement of the members 82 being to enable the tool to reach effectively all. portions or" the upper adjacent to the rand crease. The other ironing tools are mounted for limited sidewise turning movement upon their holders. The two sets of brushes 80, similarly to the ironing tools, are arranged in staggered relation upon the carrier, and one of the brushes in each set, Fig. 8, is of conical formation to enable it to penetrate effectively into the rand crease. The brushes are circular in form and, while pivotally mounted upon their supports, are held tightly by their side clamps in substantially the same manner as the brushes of the instep and back stay treating mechanisms, to prevent them from rotating during the operation of the machine.

Byreference to Figs. 8 and 9 it will be seen that there are two of: the rods 77 for supporting each of the sets of ironing and cleaning tools. Mounted loosely upon these rods are plates 85 held in spaced relation by 7 connections 86 and supporting rods 87 which carry the tools. The ironing tools of each set are mounted upon holders 88 which are pivoted upon the rod87, the holders being held in properly spaced relation by means of collars onv the rod. Each of the holders, Fig. 9, has a rearwardly prejecting lug 89 in which is threaded an adjustable screw 90 in position to bear upon one of the rods 86 which serves as a stop member. A spring 91 connected. to the lug 89 and to a relatively fixed portion of the carrier mechanism serves to maintain the tool outwardly projected as far as permitted by the stop, so as to reach the most remote portions of the shoe opposite to the tool, while permitting the tool to swing inwardly in accordance with variations in the contour of that portion of theshoe traversed by the tool. In.

a similar manner the several brushes 80 are supported upon a rod 87 and are yieldably positioned and adj ustably controlled. With this arrangement it will be seen that each of the ironing tools or brushes may be adjusted independently of others in the set to vary its extent of projection toward the shoe required by the shape of the shoe presented for treatment.

Associated with each of the supporting frames, comprising the members 85 and 86, is a spring 92 encircling one of the rods 77,

and hearing at one end upon a collar 93 tast on the rod and at its other end against one of the plates 85 so as to move the frame as far as permitted by a collar 81 onthe rod 77. All the sets of side treating devices are thus maintained normally as near to one side of the mechanism as permitted by the collars 81 which may be adjusted to vary the lateral positions of the different devices.

It will be readily understood from a con sideration of the shape of a shoe that if a side ironing or cleaning device is to reach effectively all portions of the side of the upper as it moves lengthwise along the shoe, it must have a'movclnent also in a lateral direction transverse to the direction of its longitudinal movement, so that the path of movement of the device, for the best results, shall be substantially parallel to the curve of the rand crease in the direction of the height of the shoe. In the construction of this invention such lateral movement is permitted by the arrangement above described whereby the diiferent devices are slidable upon their supporting rods and are normally positioned by the springs; and in order to direct the devices and cause them to move in the required path the invention provides cam means for moving the supporting frames laterally in opposition to the springs 92 and for determining the path of movement of the devices while they are Within the range of operation of the cams. Each of the frames which supports the ironing tools or the brushes carries at one side a roll 94, all the rolls being located at the same side of the mechanism, and in the path of these rolls is a cam 95 detachably mounted on the frame 73 in position to determine the path of movement of the shoe treating devices during their periods of contact with the shoe. Since the curve of the rand crease in the direction referred to is different at different sides of a shoe, it is preferable, for the best results, to cause the devices to move in different paths corresponding to different sides of shoes presented for treatment. The cam 95 therefore determines the path of movement for one side only of the shoes, preferably theouter side, since the curve at this side is flatter than at the inner side. The curve of the cam corresponds substantially to the curve of the rand crease at this side in the direction of the height of the shoe, or to a projection. of the line of the rand crease upon the vertical longitudinal plane of the shoe, and the cam is formed by obtaining such a projection, preferably by making a tracing following the curve at the edge of the bottom portion of the tree foot or last. In order properly to treat the inner side of a shoe a second cam 96 is provided, formed in a similar manner and having a curve corresponding to the deeper curve of the rand crease at this side. For determining the movement of the ironing cam a limited distance determined by a pin 97 on the cam 95 and a slot 98 in the cam 96..

The cam 96 hangs normally with its curved surface inside the operative surface ofthe other cam, but may be swung at the required time to cause portions of its active surface to project beyond the cam 95 and operate upon the rolls 94- instead of the other cam.

Each of the side treating mechanisms is provided with a pair of cams such as described above, as shown clearly in Fig. 13. Since the turret carries trees for both right and left shoes and presents both shoes of a pair in the same relation to the side treating mechanisms, it will be understood that corresponding to the presentation of diiferent shoes of a pair for treatment, the paths of movement of the opposite mechanisms should be relatively reversed. Since each mechanism is normally arranged for movement corresponding to the presentation of the outer side of a shoe to that mechanism, by reason of the fixed position of the cam 95, it is only necessary to cause the projection of one or the other of the cams 96 in accordance with the presentation of a right or a left shoe, In the construction shown, this is effected automatically by means of a cam block 99 projecting at that side of the tree at which the inner side of the respective shoe ispositioned, and properly located to contact with the cam 96 at that side when the frames 73 are swung inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 18. It will be apparent that in Fig. 13 a left shoe is in process of treatment, and that upon the next quarter rotation of the turret a right shoe will be brought into position and the other cam 96 will then be rendered operative by the respective cam block 99. It is preferable to use a differently shaped set of cams for each different style of shoe, and the cams 95 therefore are readily detachable from the frames 73 to permit such substitution. It is found to be feasible, however, to use the same cams for different sizes of each style, and the cams are of suitable length to permit such use.

The side ironing tools, as well as those for ironing the instep and the backstay, are preferably heated electrically, and to this end each tool includes a heating unit 100 and the current is. conducted through these units in series as shown in Fig. 8. Each set of ironing tools includes an inlet and an outlet terminal which are movable there- V the frame of the machine.

shown at 104: in Fig. 7. In order to con serve as much as possible the heat of the tools and prevent itfrom being conducted to other parts of the machine, the hold ers 88 for a considerable portion of their length are broken away at opposite sides.

Operative movement is imparted to the side ironing tools and brushes through their endless carriers by means of a worm 105 on the shaft 27 in mesh with gears 106 mounted on the frames 7 3 and driving smaller gears 107 which mesh with gears 108 on the lower shafts? 5. l V'ith this arrangement the gears 106 will remain in mesh with the worm 105 in all positions of the frames 73, and the ironing tools and brushes of each mechanism will thus be driven constantly in the same direction in a closed path during the operation of the power shaft 27 the devices moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9 and therefore upwardly while operating upon a shoe as shown clearly in Fig.

For the purpose of swinging the side treating mechanisms into and out of operative relation to a shoe, the frames 73 are connected by links 109 to gears 110 and 111 respectively, which are mounted concentrically and are connected by gearing, 112. in a manner to cause them to rotate simultaneously in opposite directions. The links 109 are so connected to the respective gears that rotation of the gears will cause the frames 7 3 to swing equal distances from the full to the dotted line positions, Fig. 4, so as to bring the respective mechanisms into operative relation to the shoe. A gear 113 is connected to the same shaft as the gear 110 and rotates in unison with the latter gear, while the gear 111 is mounted loosely upon the shaft. The gear 113 is in mesh with a gear 114. which is arranged to be driven by a rack 115 mounted to slide in a guideway 116 in It will now be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 41 that movement of the rack 115 toward the right from the position shown in this figure will cause the gears 110 and 111 to rotate in directions to swing the side treating mechanisms to operative position, and that return movement of the rack will restore the mechanisms to their retracted position to permit another shoe to be presented for treatment through rotation of the turret.

Mounted upon the rack 115 are standards 11? to which are secured parallel. spaced racks 118 having reversely cut teeth. Fulcrumecl on the shaft 19 at one side of the lever 20 is a frame comprising side members 119 and 120 and connecting rods 121, and

journaled in bearings in this frame are shafts 122 and 123 to which are secured respectively gears 124C and 125, these gears being in mesh with each other and driven from a gear 126 on the shaft 19. The shaft 123 carries also a toothed wheel or pinion 127 which is positioned between the rack members 118 and is constantly driven from the shaft 19 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3: The member 120 has a forward extension which is positioned between adjustable stops 128 and 129 on a bracket 130 secured to the lever 20 and rests normally upon the end of the stop 128 so that the frame is supported with the gear 127 out of engagement with both rack members when the latter are at their forward limit of movement as shown in Fig. 3, the upper rack member being broken away at 131 so as to clear the gear at this point. The limit of upward movement of the lever 20is determined by a stop 132 on the frame ofthe machine.

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent that when the lever 20 is depressed by means of the handle 21, the gear supporting frame which rests upon the stop 128 will swing downwardly by its own weight and carry the pinion 127 into on gagement with the teeth of the lower rack 118. A stop screw 133 supports the frame in this position by contact with a pin on the member 120 and permits the lever 20 to be further depressed and locked by the latch 23. Upon engagement with the lower rack 118 the gear 127 moves this rack and the connected rack 115 toward the left, as viewedL in Fig. 3, until a cut away portion 134 of the rack reaches a position under the pinion 127 when the pinion will rotate freely without further effect upon the rack. This movement of the rack 115 serves, through the connections previously described, to swing the frames 73 into the dotted line position, Fig. 1, thereby bringing the side treating mechanisms into operative relation to a shoe, the points of connection of the links 109 with the respective gears reaching through this movement nearly dead center positions with reference to the axis of the gears so that the frames 73, by reason also of. their weight and inertia, tend to remain in their operative positions during the treat ment of the shoe. A weight 135 connected by a chain 136 with the rack 115 serves to steady the racks in their movement.

The length of time that the sides of the shoe are treated by the respective mecha nisms depends upon the length of time that the lever 20 locked in its lower position by the latch 23. The latch is disengaged automatically at a predetermined time by mechanism comprising a rack 137 sliding in a guideway in line with the latch and held normally by means of a weight 138 retracted from the latch as far as permitted by a stop pin 139 which may be inserted adjustably in any one of a number of holes along the guideway. The rack is moved toward the latch by a pawl 140 operated. constantly by an eccentric 141 on the shaft 19 but resting upon the end of a pivoted. retaining dog 142 and out of engagement with the rack 137 at all times except when the pinion 127 is in its lowest position. The dog 142 is pivoted to a standard 1&3 on the frame of the machine and has a pin which engages in a slot in a link 14:41: suspended from a lug 1 15 on the lever 20. This pin and slot connection serves to support the dog normally out of engagement with the rack 137 and thereby to hold the pawl 140 out of such engagement, as shown in Fig. 3, but when the lever 20 is depressed to bring the pinion 127 into engagement with the rack 118 the dog and the pawl are engaged also with the rack 137. Each rotation of the shaft 19 now serves, during and after the movement of the rack 115 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, to advance the rack 137 a distance determined by the length of one tooth of the rack, and the dog 142 holds the rack while the pawl "1410 is retracted to engage another tooth.

This operation continues until the end of the rack 137 reaches the latch 23 and disengages it from the frame. The forward portion of the lever 20 is now swung upwardly by the spring 22, freeing the rack 137 and permitting it to be drawn back against the stop 139 by the weight 138, and bringing the pinion 127 into engagement with the teeth of the upper rack member 118, whereby this rack and the rack 115 are returned to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the side treating mechanisms swung to their inoperative positions away from the shoe. The respective mechanisms will tend to maintain their inoperative positions through the inertia of the parts, since the weight 135 is not heavy enough to affect the position of the mechanisms. The length of time that the sides of the shoe are subjected to treatment will depend, it will be understood, upon the position of the stop 139 and the, consequent distance that the rack 137 must travel before disengaging the latch 23, and the length of treatment may thus be readily varied by adjusting the stop 139.

Although the manner of operation of the different parts of the machine has been pointed out in detail in the preceding description, the operation and use of the machine in general will now be briefly de scribed. It will be understood that thevarious mechanisms for treating the front, rear tree by means of the handle 6, and that shoes are mounted also on the other trees, the turret is unlocked by means of the handle 12 and is given by hand a quarter rotation and then locked by engagement of the pin 10 in the next hole 11. This brings the fresh shoe into position to be treated by the instep and back stay ironing and cleaning mechanisms, and carries a shoe which has just been treated by these'mechanisms into position for treatment by the side ironing and cleaning mechanisms. The lever 20 is now depressed by means of the handle 21 and locked by the latch 23. This movement of the lever swings the instep and back stay ironing mechanisms into engagement with the respective shoe, and renders operative the automatic mechanism which serves to swing the side ironing mechanisms into engagement with the shoe presented to them, as previously pointed out in detail. As the frames 73 swing to. operative position, the cam block 99 upon the respective tree serves to adjust one or the other pair of cams 95, 96 to determine a movement of the corre sponding tools for treatment of the inner side of the shoe. All the mechanisms now continue their operation upon the respective shoes until the latch 23 is disengaged by the rack 137. When thistakes place the arms 18 and the back stay ironing mechanism swing downwardly by gravity out of engagement with the shoe, and the instep ironing mechanism also is swung away from the shoe by its operating connections, the lever 20 being swung into engagement with the stop 132 and causing the pinion 127 to engage the upper rack 118 so as to cause the side ironing mechanisms to swing into in operative position. In the meantime the operator has subjected a shoe which has been treated by the machine to a final dressing operation and has removed it from the tree and mounted another shoe in its place ready for treatment. The turret may now be unlocked and advanced again and the operations previously described repeated.

Although the brushes have been referred to as cleaning devices, it will be understood that they have to a considerable extent a smoothing effect as well as a cleaning effect upon the shoes. It will be apparent, moreover, that in many of its features the invention is not limited to the combination of cleaning devices with the ironing tools, nor to the illustrative construction and arrangement of the ironing tools, but contemplates respects including. the use, v if desired, of tools constructed for 'rolling engagement with the Work in the manner disclosed, for

scope o f the. appended claims.

I 4:. In a machine of v comb natlon of 1-ndependent:s1de,, nstep and back stay 1I( )I1111gm8(3l13,I11SII1S arranged for example, in my prior Patent No. 1,081,907,

granted December 16,1913 It should be understood also that although the machine shown-and described includes details of construction which are believed to be the best ,for practlcal purposes, various embodiments of the invention in these respects likewise are comprehended within thefspirit and Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates isz-E 1 1, In a machine of theclass, described, the combination with a shoe supporting tree, of side, instep and back stay ironing mechanisms, arranged; to operate on alshoe supported on said tree, said side ironingmechanism being arranged to operate onsaid shoe at a period When said back stay and instep iilfloning mechanisms are not operating on the s oe. l A a 2. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of independent side, instep and back stay ironing mechanisms, a shoe supporting tree, and means supporting saidtree for movement to present said shoe; to the operation of said instep andback stay ironing mechanisms and into adifi'erent position for the operation of said sideironing mechanism on the shoe a 3. 111 a machine of the class described, the combination of side, instep and back stay ironing mechanisms, a plurality. of shoe supporting trees, and a turret supporting said treesfor movement into and-out ofoperative relationship to said ironing mechanisms, said instep and, back stay ironing.mecl1anisms being arranged to operate on. a shoe supported on a one of said treessimultane ously with the operation pfeaid sideironing mechanism on another shoe supported on one of sald trees. a. i i a he. class described, the

simultaneous operation, a plurality of shoe supporting trees, and a turret supporting said trees for movement to presenta shoe mounted on any one of said" trees to the operationof said instep andback stay ironing mechanisms and into a difii'erent position ior the operation of said side ironing mechanism. on thetshoes i a 5. In a machine of thepclass described, the combination of independent side, in-

step and back stay ironing mechanisms, means for operat ng sa1d mechanlsms, a plurality of shoe supporting trees, a turret supporting-said trees for movement into and out of operativerelationship to saidironing mechanisms, said mechanisms being moved on any one of said trees simultaneously .witlrthe operation of said side ironing mechanism on another shoe supported on one of said trees, and a single means for controlling the operative engagement of all of said ironing mechanisms with said shoes. I 7; In a machine of the class described, the combination with a turret and a plurality of trees carriedthereby, of a plurality of Independent ironing mechanisms arranged to operate on different shoes su ported on said trees, and a common contro ling means forinitiating the operation of said mechanisms.

8. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a turret and a plurality of trees carried thereby of a plurality of independent ironing mechanisms arranged to operate simultaneously on different shoes supported on said trees, and a common controlling means for initiating the op eration of said mechanisms on theirrespective shoes.

9. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a turret and a plurality of trees carried thereby, of a plurality of independent ironing mechanisms, each adapted totreat a different part of a shoe, said. mechanisms being arranged to operate simultaneously on different shoes supported on said trees, and a single means for controlling the operative engagement of said ironing mechanisms with said shoes.

10. In a machine of theclass described, the combination with a turret and a plurality of trees carried thereby, of a plurality of independent ironing mechanisms arranged to operate simultaneously on different shoes supported on saidtrees, and a common controllingmeans forinitiating the op eration of said mechanisms on their respective shoes, said means being arranged to terminate automatically the operation of saidmechanisms on the shoes.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a turret and a plurality of treescarried thereby, of a plurality of independent ironing mechanisms adapted respectively to treat different parts of a shoe, said mechanisms being arranged to operate simultaneously on diiierent shoes supported onsaid trees, and a single means for eontrolling the operative engagement of 

